Coroner now has remains kayakers find in Great Miami River in Miami Twp. area

MIAMI TWP. — The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office now has the skeletal remains that kayakers found Friday morning along a stretch of the Great Miami River in the Miami Twp. area.

>> PHOTOS: Decomposed body found in Great Miami River in Miami Twp.

Five Rivers MetroParks rangers and multiple firefighters were dispatched to the area of Dayton Cincinnati Pike, just south of the low dam, on a report that remains had been found.

The investigation and recovery effort was launched at about 9:30 a.m.

The remains had undergone “significant decomposition,” said Mark Hess, MetroParks chief of public safety.

Hess said kayakers found the remains, which were in with some tree limbs and debris.

A supervisor on the scene described the remains to News Center 7 as being “skeletal.”

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Miami Valley Fire District firefighters also told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell a pair of people in kayaks on Friday sounded the alarm .

“Yeah, they were fishing on the river and happened to notice it and called it in immediately,” said Mike Renk, Miami Valley Fire District Battalion Chief.

He said his crews train for this consistently and had two boats on the water right away.

“Obviously, not a lot of rain this month, the water is very safe at this point,” Renk said.

Campbell said firefighters also did not have to worry about turbulence at the low dam. The body was found a quarter mile downstream

“It was by the side of the bank and it’s hard to get access to on the other side of the river, not a lot of roadways, easier to get there by boat,” explained Renk.

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Campbell reports Five Rivers MetroParks is leading the police investigation and declined to speak with News Center 7 at the scene.

One man said knew a little about the investigation they must face.

“It’ll be very challenging because obviously the river is involved,” said Dr. Alexander Burton, Criminology Professor at UT-Dallas. “(It) brings up the need to learn how the remains in the water.”

He was fishing from the riverbank Friday and watched the recovery operation and said rivers can be dangerous as they can also wash away potential clues.

“It’s just hard to say how long,” said Burton. “Really anything could have been here.”

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Whether the remains are that of a male or female is uncertain because of the significant decomposition, Hess said. There is no indication of foul play at this point.

Campbell says the next stage in this investigation will be at the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office as they will try to learn how long the person was there and how they ended up there.

News Center 7 has reached out to Five Rivers MetroParks for additional details.

We’ll continue to update this story as information becomes available.

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Law Enforcement Investigation on Great Miami River MetroParks rangers are leading an investigation on the Great Miami River Friday morning.

Decomposed body found in Great Miami River in Miami Twp.; Recovery underway A body with “significant decomposition” was found along a stretch of the Great Miami River prompting a large law enforcement investigation and recovery.

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